Fall For You
by Hari-Aisu
Summary: Sometimes, all it takes is one night to make a difference in someone's life. For L and Raito, it took four weeks. But what do you expect from two star students who hate each other with a passion? It's not like they were in love, or anything like that...
1. Wearing Thin Down to the Core

A.N: Ha, ha, who has another one-shot-turned-three-shot they'd like to share? Why... me, of course. Who else would it be? Lol! And no, I'm not kidding when I say that this was originally a one-shot that just went too far. By the time I was finished, it was fifty freaking pages, and that was BEFORE it was beta-ed! ((Face Palm)) I hate to think how much longer it's going to be now... Yet, I only have myself to blame. It all started one day when I turned on my Sirius radio, and low and behold, what was on but Secondhand Serenade's "Fall For You"? And then... the plot bunny killed my soul. Ask Kit-chan, she'll tell you! It nearly ate her alive, too!

I'm telling you, monster-status. XD

So, the rest of the story is done, but will be posted in two-day intervals so that you guys (and myself) can take a small breather. And by the by, this story is humor, but not the outrageous humor some of you may have come to expect from me. It's more down-to-earth, and definitely not as raunchy. ... ... And I mean **definitely** not as raunchy. Lol! Reviews are love, and just to let you know, I love being loved. Lol!

Special thanks goes to my beta, Kitsune55, who rocks in the most awesome of ways. I still feel guilty to this day for giving her this one-shot to edit all at once. O.O Poor, poor dear. Lol! Give her some love as well, people!

Disclaimer: I do not own "Fall For You" by Secondhand Serenade, nor do I own Death Note, which should be obvious by now by both my lack of riches and bitches. Boo-hoo to me.

* * *

"_The best thing about tonight's that we're not fighting…_

_Could it be that we have been this way before?_

_I know you don't think that I am trying…_

_I know you're wearing thin down to the core._

_But hold your breathe,_

_Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you_

_Over again…_

_Don't make me change my mind_

_Or I won't live to see another day-_

_I swear it's true._

_Because a girl like you is impossible to find…_

_You're impossible to find."_

**-"_Fall For You" By Secondhand Serenade_**

* * *

Title: _**Fall For You**_

Chapter One: _Wearing Thin Down to the Core_

* * *

Raito scoffed as he got off of the bus, glancing around the abandoned bus stop in a scornful manner.

Still nothing.

Relaxing his posture, the 21-year-old man sat down on the decrepit bench that lay almost falling apart after years of abuse; the very same bench that held a memory so near and dear to the graduating collegian, that at times, it even hurt to think about. Raito sighed as he caressed the darkening wood, thinking of a day not so unlike this one…

A day where his whole world had unexpectedly come crashing down.

On this same exact date for the last four years, Raito continually came back to this same spot, looking for something that he knew would mostly likely never come, yet yearned to see.

As much as at times he wished to forget about this place and all the sentiments it held for him, he could not. Something tied him here that was much stronger than any stubbornness Raito could ever manage to conjure.

Hope was such a tricky thing sometimes…

Sepia eyes closed as the college student lay back against the aging wood and allowed his thoughts to slowly drift away, silently wondering just when the other half of _their_ promise would finally be fulfilled.

* * *

"Don't you have some graveyard to haunt?!" 17-year-old Yagami Raito yelled as the immoveable object that was L Lawliet stood in his way, once again making him feel as if he just stepped onto a set of a horror movie. "I have enough people stalking me as it is, let's not add you to the list, shall we?"

Pale skin, gaunt from eating nothing but cake, seemed to illuminate against the orange glow of the sun, face partially obscured by the lengthy obsidian locks framing the boy's panda-like ringed eyes. Slightly slouched over within his incredibly uncomfortable-looking school uniform, L sighed as the attractive student in front of him scowled, so used to the overdramatic teen at this point that it barely even fazed him.

The bored teenager shoved his hands within his pockets as he rolled his large onyx-colored eyes, shrugging his book-bag on top of his slightly hunched over shoulders once more, wondering just why he bothered with the irritable boy sometimes. "Believe me, Yagami-kun, I do not feel the need to join the mindless masses and attempt to follow your lead. I have come to you for another matter altogether."

Raito scoffed, flicking his bangs back as he crossed his arms against his chest and raised his perfectly sculpted eyebrow in response.

"It seems that in our competition to become first in class over the past four years that we have reached a stalemate according to our student records." L bit his thumb, hating to have to admit that he had failed in trumping the boy after years of scholastic competition. It was well-known that both L and Raito hated each other with a passion, and to have to tell the other that they had reached a tie…

It was humiliating to say the least.

"And?" Though Raito was also seething internally, he did not understand why L would feel the need to tell him about it, especially if it was the truth. Wasn't that their principal's job?

"We graduate in little more than a month, Yagami-kun. What do you think that means in accordance to the valedictorian slot?" The brunette's eyes widened in response as L brushed his messy ebony locks away from his tireless orbs.

"No… no way."

"It seems that we have four weeks to create a speech that will, what was it that Sato-san said? 'Wow the committee and student body,' fellow co-valedictorian."

"What about all the afterschool activities and volunteer work I put in?!" Raito cried out, not caring about the scene beginning to break out, other students slowing down in their trek as they stared at two of the most intelligent boys ever to grace their school's halls seemingly beginning one of their infamously destructive tirades. "Doesn't that count for anything?"

"Well, Yagami-kun must also take into account that I have done just as much in accordance to that as well." L could barely hold in the smirk at the outraged look on the 17-year-old's face, ignoring the fact that his own face had held the same look not even 2 hours ago. "All the volunteer work I have put into the library and hospital, my position as editor of the school paper, advisor of our literary club, being co-captain of the tennis team along with Yagami-kun…"

"Alright, alright, I get it! Neither of us gets an edge…" Raito finally took in a deep breath, trying to hold in the surge of anger bubbling just under the surface of his façade of calm. "So what, then? We don't have any say whatsoever in this? Obviously you must be just as pissed about this as I am!"

"Yagami-kun is correct. I was not pleased when Sato-san informed of me their 'well-thought out' decision." L tapped his thumb against his lower lip. "But there is nothing else we can do about this situation that would be satisfactory to us both."

"What the hell do you mean?!" The much less composed student glared at the pale boy now staring up at the sky, as if it itself held the answer to all the questions of the universe.

"Well, would Yagami-kun like to give up his spot as co-valedictorian?" L questioned, already hearing the shrill response before spoken.

"Hell no!"

And there it was.

"And neither do I. Therefore, it seems that, regardless of any other options, we are both at an impasse. As the scholastic committee anticipates this as a result, they are expecting the best of the best from us both." A pale hand reached into the never-ending depths of L's jeans pocket as it pulled out an over-sized cherry lollipop and un-wrapped the plastic covering from the delicious treat in record time. "Does Yagami-kun realize what this means as well?"

Raito groaned in response.

"They do realize that the last time we worked together, we almost killed each other and got the other landed into the hospital as a result?"

"We were thirteen then, Yagami-kun. Barely teenagers. I am sure we will be able to get through these next four weeks with little to no trouble." L gave an obnoxious slurp of his lollipop, relishing in the wince sent his way via Raito. "We are both much more mature now than we were then, yes? It might even be a bit fun."

The chocolate-eyed teen gave L a dubious glance.

L simply returned it with his own wide-eyed stare.

"Yeah…" Raito sighed as he ran a hand through his cinnamon locks. "I'm sure we'll have **lots** of fun trying to give the other concussions."

"That could be fun as well. Yagami-kun will meet me at my home today after school." L then announced before turning around and entering the building, the sound of the bell ringing signifying the end of their lunch break.

"Why not meet at my house?" The boy called out, arms flailing angrily in response.

"Why not mine?" The dark-haired teenager called out in return, barely looking back over his shoulder.

Raito rolled his eyes, knowing that if he didn't stop this game now, it would make them both not only late for class, but bruised and battered beyond belief.

'Mature my ass…'

"Fine…" The light-haired boy finally relinquished.

And with that, L finally left without so much as a goodbye, not hearing Raito muttering to himself as his shoulders slumped, ready to bang his head against the nearest wall in his vicinity.

"Godspeed to us both."

* * *

_**Operation: Write Speech – Week One**_

* * *

Raito looked down at his notebook, feeling a sort of morbid fascination at the implication of the words.

'With L, everything ends up being a damn mission anyways.'

The bell finally rang, teenagers whooping at the sound as they quickly stood up and charged towards the door, ignoring the instructor still speaking in vain. Raito slowly gathered his things, waiting for the horde of people to finally die down.

"RAI-KUN!"

Raito sweat dropped in response.

"… Amane. What's up?"

"I heard about you and L!" Amane Misa immediately jumped up on top of Raito's desk, ignoring the weird looks everyone around them sent as they continued to walk out the door. "I'm so sorry! I know that must suck sooooo bad, especially because it's _L_ of all people... and _everyone _knows you practically can't stand the ghoul…"

"Yeah, well…"

"Amane! How many times have I told you to leave Yagami-kun alone!" Takada Kiyomi glared over at the childish blonde sticking her tongue out at the dark-haired beauty. "Hello, Yagami-kun."

Misa gagged as the slightly more mature of the two blushed once Raito smiled back in response.

"It was nice talking to the both of you, but I really do have to get going, girls…" Raito smiled charmingly as both girls swooned, internally rolling his eyes at both of their antics. "Things to do, people to see… unfortunately…"

As both girls continued to gawk at him, Raito strolled by, nodding at his instructor in way of departure. Thoughts of what perilous mis-adventures lay ahead of him almost made the boy shiver, but he held it in, knowing that no matter how much he hated it… he was going to be spending his precious afternoon at _L's _house.

Dear God, what he had done to deserve this fate?

* * *

In all of his years of knowing the pale, gangly boy, Raito had only been to the boy's house/mansion/manor/castle three times.

Once when they were five, L had been forced to bring someone from his school back to his house on his grandfather Quillsh's orders. Though the two fought constantly (even as children), Raito was the only person L could even _slightly _stand to be in the same vicinity of, and luckily for him, he had asked the other five-year-old whilst his mother had been standing right next to him.

They both knew Raito would not say no then.

The 'play date' had lasted a grand total of ten minutes, after L threw a bucket of paint (where he had gotten a bucket of paint from, neither Quillsh nor Raito would ever know) on top of Raito's head and Raito, in return, punched him in the face and pushed him inside the refrigerator and locked him in for a good five minutes.

Both boys still shivered at the memory.

The second time Raito had been at the boy's house was when they were in the fifth grade. Both boy's had been assigned as partners on a project for their science class.

It was sufficient to say that Soichirou, Raito's father, and Quillsh had been this close to killing the moronic teacher for doing such an idiotic thing when both boys not only _hated _each other, but were so incredibly adept when working with chemicals of the scientific nature.

By the end of the first day, L no longer had any eyebrows as a result, and Raito could never look at volcano's the same way ever again.

The third, and final, time Raito had ever been at the boy's house was when they were 13, and their brand spanking new seventh grade History teacher decided that two geniuses of their caliber just _had _to work together to produce something amazing for their history paper on the Samurai…

The hospital had then had their names engraved on a set of plaques above two seats in the ER after that fight, reserving them for whenever they had anymore of their ridiculous rows. Even now, the new nurses were neatly instructed on what to do whenever they were brought in thanks to that incident.

Raito could still feel the scar on the top of his head, underneath his hair…

But Raito digressed.

The boy made his way to the gate, ringing the doorbell set there. After a swiveling of a camera above said doorbell, the gates automatically opened, revealing a long walkway to an equally humongous home.

Raito began his trek, giving one silent prayer up to whatever God existed that L had no paint or volcanoes within the vicinity of his castle.

That would just be cruel and unusual punishment by any means.

* * *

"L?"

A pair of large ebony eyes matching his own looked up into the thin teen's face as silvery hair swished to the side, the small boy tilting his head in inquisitiveness.

"Yes, Nate?" L stood up from their kitchen table, ignoring the mess of wrappers and half-eaten candies and other various treats strewn on the surface.

"Your friend is here to see you." Nate blinked as L's face turned a faint pink before disappearing rather quickly.

"He is not my friend, Nate," L sighed as walked past the confused boy, glad that his other two siblings were too busy raising havoc in the arcade in town than at their home. "Simply an associate from school. Although…"

"Hm?"

"Would you like to meet him, Nate?" L did not wait to hear the answer to his question as he walked out of the kitchen and into their main hall, ready to greet his greatest of foes.

Nate simply shrugged before slumping off after his brother, curiosity winning out before anything.

* * *

"Yagami-kun."

"L."

Both boys kept their cools, at least on the surface.

The underlying tension, however…

Nate blinked, never having seen this side of his big brother before.

It was almost like the two boys were in a world of their own…

"I suppose before anything else, I shall have to introduce you to one of my younger brothers who I have taken the responsibility of caring for upon my grandfather's temporary absence." L mumbled as he ignored the slightly bemused look on Raito's face as the words 'younger brothers' exited his mouth. "Nate… please come here. This will be the person assisting me on the speech I was speaking of earlier; Yagami Raito. Yagami-kun, this is my younger brother, Nate."

Nate tightened his grip on his teddy bear as he shuffled his way over to the older boys, perusing the brunette's figure before landing on his warm cinnamon gaze.

"Hello, Yagami-san." Nate whispered as he bowed half-heartedly, before dropping his sight onto the floor.

Raito knelt down to the boy's level, offering a small smile as he beckoned the boy closer and offered his hand.

"It's nice to meet you, Nate-san. You could just call me Raito if you want." The younger of the two shyly smiled before shaking the teen's hand.

"Thank you and likewise."

L bit his thumb, tilting his head to the side as Raito straightened up once again.

"Well, are we going to get started, or what?" The brunette quirked his eyebrow over at L, waiting for whatever the teen had to dish out in insults.

The quieter of the two teens shrugged before slouching off into the kitchen once again, obviously expecting Raito to follow.

Raito felt his eye twitch before glancing down at the boy still staring up at him.

Nate simply held his hand out to the amused brunette, smiling once again. This garnered a grin out of the older boy, allowing his grasp to be taken before making his way after the much more annoying of the two siblings.

* * *

"Obviously that's wrong." Raito stated as he glanced down the paragraph written by none other than L Lawliet.

"Yagami-kun is delusional." The dark-haired teen scoffed as he slurped on his strawberry hard candy. "My wording and metaphors are perfectly acceptable."

"Maybe in your demented mindset, but to the rest of the world, that would be wrong." Raito threw the paper down on the table, already feeling a headache bubbling in the back of his head.

Both boys glared at each other as Nate continued to play with his puzzles and toys', sitting contently to Raito's right as L sat at the end of the table on Raito's left.

"Yagami-kun does not know what he is talking about." L ground out, obnoxiously chewing on the candy as Raito sneered over at the boy, knowing L was only doing it to annoy the crap out of him.

"This is coming from the anti-social freak of the year who is trying to compare his first year of high school to a damn strawberry." The prissy teen flicked the smooth locks of hair out of his eyes as the child next to him began to make car noises, crashing his cars against one another rather violently. "Hm… I'll definitely take your sound advice any day above my own."

"Obviously the strawberry itself holds a deeper meaning than just _being_ a strawberry-"

"As I'm sure our classmates will see…"

"And if our classmates cannot see that, they obviously should not be graduating from high school to begin with."

"Because of your warped strawberry metaphor?"

"Yagami-kun…"

"I'm sorry, let me just get over the fact that you just debated someone's eligibility to finish high school because of a metaphor… based on a strawberry." Raito faked a big breath before banging his hands against the table, and nodding emphatically. "Ok… I'm good."

"Yagami-kun is now trying my patience." L stated uselessly, knowing once Raito was on a roll (especially in concerns of insulting him), he would not stop no matter what anyone said.

"Woosh…" Nate then crashed his plane onto the table, bringing his army men over to salvage whatever was left of the wreckage. "Boom… Help us…"

"Trying your patience? Considering you never had any to begin with, that's quite an amazing feat." Raito leaned forward and placed his chin against the palm of his hand, his arm now perched against the table. "So tell me, was this patience buried deep inside yourself, or, and I consider this more likely, from wherever you managed to pull the strawberry metaphor? Like, your ass, maybe?"

A twitch of L's eye was all the warning Raito got before the piece of cake that had once lay innocently on the table now became splattered against Raito's usually perfect face.

Nate took the tank that lay on his right side and dropped it onto the floor, before conveniently slipping away from the room unnoticed.

From the sounds of Armageddon arising from the kitchen, Nate could only assume that it was all downhill from there.

* * *

"L LAWLIET! WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE TO MY KITCHEN!"

L blinked as the sponge that lay uselessly within his hands dropped onto the table, splattered bottles and somehow, busted cans, of various food completely enveloped what used to be the kitchen floor. The teenager himself was covered from head to toe in edible items, looking like the poster child of messy eating.

"… Yagami-kun did it."

Quillsh sweat dropped.

"Why was he even-"

"We were both honored with the valedictorian spot at graduation." L stated needlessly, scratching his nose as his grandfather eyed the wreckage with a weariness that belied his age. "It seems we will also have to co-write a speech together, and as a result-"

"I don't even want to know the rest. Where's your brother?" The older man asked, his head throbbing painfully against his temples.

"In his room, safe and clean." L replied before retrieving the fallen sponge and continuing in his cleaning. "For someone as volatile as Yagami Raito, they both got along swimmingly."

Quillsh sighed as he grabbed the grocery bags he had dropped in shock and carefully made his way towards the island in the middle of the kitchen, the only still relatively clean countertop within the wrecked room. "Perhaps it is only with you Yagami-kun holds any hostility with, L. For some bizarre reason that I can never fathom, you manage to inspire the worst out of the poor boy."

"I do nothing with him that I do not do with everyone else." The grouchy sugar-depraved teen mumbled, missing the smirk implanted on his grandfather's face as he pulled out some jars and set them on top of the counter. "I treat him with the same indifference that I give all the other students, even go out of my way as to not interact with him, and yet still that does not please Yagami Raito. I do not understand him whatsoever…"

Quillsh simply gazed at his grandson, wondering how such a smart boy could miss something so obvious.

"Perhaps a truce is in order then, just until graduation. After that, you two will never have to see each other ever again." L froze in his cleaning, back straightening at the sound of his grandfather's words.

"Never…" The faint murmur did not go past the older man unnoticed as the hand holding the sponge began to move once again. "I suppose so."

"Soon, he'll be out of your life for good…" Quillsh began to put away the cans as he turned his back to the boy he had practically raised from birth. "Soon…"

'And maybe that's the problem, dear grandson.'

* * *

"Raito, what the hell happened?!"

Yagami Soichirou backed away in horror as his food-splattered son quietly and neatly tucked away his smeared sneakers at the doorway and began his trek up the stairs, not even deigning to look at his father's direction.

"Raito, answer m-"

"L Lawliet."

That was all the answer Soichirou needed as he sweat dropped, allowing his son passage as a vein began to throb on his forehead.

The poor boy looked as if he were ready to explode.

Raito made his way into the bathroom and shut the door, not even bothering to shed his clothes as he jumped into the shower and turned the cold water on at full blast, wondering just why he even bothered any more.

* * *

_**Operation: Write Speech – Week One**_

* * *

_**Today was absolutely horrible!**_

_**Can you believe that the stupid idiot actually wanted to compare studying in his first year to eating strawberries?! EATING STRAWBERRIES?! Who does that?! **_

_**I swear, sometimes I think he does things like that just to piss me off…**_

_**I wouldn't be surprised that was the case, anyway! Yet the thing that gets me is he actually looked serious about the whole thing. Well, I mean more serious than usual. And when he gave me the paper to read, he honestly looked as if he valued my opinion on the stupid thing. But that isn't possible. L doesn't care about what I think. It's always been about beating me and making me eat my own words. What an asshole.**_

_**Though I did learn that he magically spawned siblings from the time he was thirteen to now. It's weird, since I've never seen them before… but L never talks about his personal life, so it's not that surprising all the same. For all I know, he probably hacked off his arm and spawned new life, like an evil L-sponge, or something. Hm. Actually, now that I think about it, that really wouldn't be too implausible to think about…**_

_**Dear sweet mother of all that's good in this world, I am actually contemplating this, aren't I?**_

_**Damn it, L, even when you're not here, you're still driving me fucking insane!**_

_**God, how long am I supposed to deal with this kind of crap?! This skinny jackass isn't even worth glancing at, and yet he manages to get under my skin without trying… **_

_**Why is that? **_

* * *

Raito glanced down at his own writing, wondering just why he was surprised at the animosity of his own words.

He had never actually asked himself just what it was about L that bothered him so badly.

'Hm… There's something to think about.'

The tired brunette simply shrugged before closing his journal and climbing into his bed, eyes closing before the boy's head even managed to hit the pillow.

'But those are thoughts… left for another day…'

* * *

"Yagami-kun."

Raito almost smashed his head against his locker as the familiar baritone voice called out to him after nearly a week of hardly even looking in his direction.

The brunette had thought it strange at first, knowing that this was hardly the first (or the worst, for that matter) of their fights, but if L wanted to ignore him, he would ignore the boy in return. He could out due anything L did, and he would prove it continuously if he had to.

But now L was speaking to him as if nothing had happened.

What the hell?

Raito slowly turned around, tucking the book he held underneath his left arm as he swung his book bag back against his right shoulder. Blinking, the 17-year-old brunette stared at the other teen, sensing something different in L's persona as he slouched closer to his person.

"I must speak to Yagami-kun about the speech before the end of the day. Will he meet me at the library during our lunch break?" Even the way L spoke seemed different than before as Raito nodded, speechless in his assessment of the usually bored-looking teen.

"I will wait for you near the vending machines behind the old staircase on the first floor to discuss the matter at length." Without another word, L took his leave, Raito watching him in disbelief as he fought to determine just what was up with L.

'Did I just… somehow get one-upped by L?'

Raito blinked before turning about-face and walking to his next class, hoping to eliminate the last five minutes from his memory banks, and make it to his AP Psychology class without making a complete ass out of himself…

Again.

* * *

"So what the hell is it, now?" If there was one thing Raito hated wasting, it was time. And quite frankly, L had a way of uselessly ticking down the minutes, along with the rest of Raito's sanity. "Going to throw more cake in my face? Try to shove a weird strawberry metaphor down my throat and then wonder why the hell you're so fucking weird? Or are you going to cut to the chase and just put me out of my misery for once and for all?"

"We are graduating soon, Yagami-kun." Raito blinked as the pouty teen began to bite on his thumb, an almost forlorn look set on his normally unmoved visage as the random comment threw Raito off guard.

"Yeah…" The misanthropic brunette leaned back against the vending machine, wondering just where L was taking all this. "And?"

"Everything will change in little over three weeks. Does Yagami-kun not realize this?" Raito shrugged as the boy continued to nibble on his thumb, just a bit more voraciously than before. "If there is one thing about Yagami-kun and I that has held true throughout the years, it is the animosity we hold for the other. But after graduation, that will change. Does Yagami-kun find himself thinking about this?"

Raito shifted within his spot against the smooth metal encasing, the thought never actually entering his mind until now.

"It is most probable that I shall never see Yagami-kun ever again, as I am transferring to an American school in the Northeast." L glanced down at the ground, missing the way Raito's eyes widened at the confession. "And though I have always held Yagami-kun as a worthy adversary, I must ask myself, in all the times we have worked together, have we ever completed anything we have been tasked with?"

"No…" Raito admitted, knowing that even when both boys had ever come close to finishing a project, their fights either destroyed the whole damn thing or they never began to begin with anyways. "We haven't."

"It is with this thought that I propose a heavily thought out truce to Yagami-kun, so that we may finish our last project together. A sort of adieu, if you will, to our past aggressions and a beginning to a completely clear slate." L shuffled his sneaker-clad feet against the libraries carpeting, still not glancing up to meet the other boy's gaze. "Does Yagami-kun accept?"

There was a thing to be said about Yagami Raito. If there was one thing he hated to waste, it was time.

"Of course."

And time, he refused to waste.

"Meet me at my house afterschool tomorrow, then." Raito smirked, remembering the nearly identical words having come out of the other boy's mouth just a week before. "And we'll get started on our last endeavor together."

L hid his smile behind his thumb as Raito spun around as regally as possible and walked out of the library, having lost the battle, but quite ready to win the war.

* * *

_**Operation: Write Speech – Week Two**_

* * *

Tanned hands flicked the journal shut as a knocking intruded Raito's thoughts. Slowly lifting himself up, the amazingly conceited brunette ran a hand through his pale chestnut colored locks before opening the door, not the least bit surprised to see the pale, gangly teen that was L Lawliet.

"Took you long enough." Raito muttered before holding the door open and nodding for him to enter. Soichirou peeked through his own door and raised his eyebrow, silently asking his son if he would need to get a construction crew after both boys were done doing whatever it was they were doing.

Raito simply rolled his eyes before shutting his door shut with a soft click.

"Before we begin," L shrugged his book bag off against the boy's bed before plopping himself on the floor, bringing up his knees to his chest rather childishly. "I believe a set of rules is in order."

"Rules?" Raito grabbed his computer chair and sat down, crossing his legs as he did so.

"Yagami-kun does not truly believe that we will be able to get along without some sort of boundaries, does he?" L began to take out a notebook from his bag, barely glancing up at the other boy as he pulled out a pen and began to scribble some things down. "No ridiculing of metaphors should be our first rule."

Raito almost scoffed, just out of habit.

"Fine. But only if the metaphor is well-thought out and actually holds a bit of substance in concerns to what the students will be able to understand and _graduating_." Raito shot back, watching the dark-haired teen grumble to himself.

"Duly noted." L finally looked up at Raito, his large ebony eyes ringed with dark smudges making the slightly uncomfortable brunette even more uncomfortable than before. "Next, we shall have to no longer insult each other for this work."

Both boys stared at the other.

"I honestly don't think I know how to do that with you." Raito answered honestly, realizing that he had _never_ had a conversation with L that didn't include insults. "Uh…"

"To be truthful, I am in the same position as Yagami-kun." L admitted, knowing the same was true on his own account.

"How about this; we'll just _cut back_ on our insults. Is there anything I've insulted about you that bother's you in particular?" Raito leaned back, blinking at the incredulous stare L shot at him.

"Besides everything Yagami-kun has ever said about me?" L began to write things down in his notebook again, his dark fringe obscuring his gaze once more. "Oh, nothing specifically."

"Well, you're no saint either! You've practically called me gay from birth, and I still don't know why!" Raito glared at the boy as a faint smirk overcame L's face.

"… … Does that hurt Yagami-kun's feelings?"

"You know what?! Forget it!" The frustrated high school student dramatically stood up from his chair and crossed his arms against his chest. "This is obviously not going to work! I don't think us working together is even plausible, let alone something that's within our abilities. We hate each other… that's obviously never going to change, whether it be now or fifty years from now."

After a moment of strained silence, L carefully picked himself up from where he was sitting on the floor and straightened himself at full height, meeting Raito right in the eyes. "I must admit something to Yagami-kun that I think may shock him into speechlessness."

Raito raised an eyebrow, not impressed with the boy's love for corny climatic effect.

"I do not hate Yagami-kun." L announced, looking as if it were revelation just made on the fly.

"Bullshit." The words came out without Raito even realizing it the first time.

"Say what you will, but my words are true."

"Double bullshit." The second time, however, was all Raito's doing.

L pouted as his widened his onyx eyes. "What must I do to get Yagami-kun to believe me?"

"Nothing! I know you hate me! Years of **hating** me prove you hate me!" Raito seemed almost hysterical at this point, as the one constant in his life that always held true was being shaken at its core. "What the hell are you trying to prove now by saying you don't hate me?!"

"I suppose once I realized that after these next few weeks that I would never see Yagami-kun ever again, I finally understood just how much of a staple Yagami-kun held in my life." L tilted his head to the side, watching the boy flinch slightly at the reminder. "I have realized after years of fights, that though our confrontations consisted mostly of conflicts, Yagami-kun is the only person I have felt even a slight inflection of tolerance for. The world seems gray without Yagami-kun to brighten it just ever so slightly…"

Raito coughed. "Have you always been this sappy?"

"Yes. Hasn't Yagami-kun ever noticed?"

"I suppose I was too busy dodging your punches and kicks to really realize it." Raito stated dryly, a smile beginning to twitch at the edges of his mouth.

"Hm. Well, it is after much thought that I have realized that Yagami-kun is my first and only actual friend." L sat back down against the floor, back leaning against the mattress of the bed as he stared up at the shell-shocked form of Yagami Raito. "And if Yagami-kun thinks about it, I suppose the same applies to himself as well."

As much as Raito wanted to say otherwise, he knew everything the lying bastard was saying… was actually true.

Damn it.

"So, I suppose any and all gay jokes are to be excluded in our lists of insults, Yagami-kun?" And as much as a part of Raito wanted to punch the other 17-year-old boy in the face, another much greater part could only laugh out loud at the ridiculousness of it all.

"You are such an ass."

"And Yagami-kun wouldn't have me any other way."

* * *

_**Operation: Write Speech – Week Two**_

* * *

_**I… can't believe it. **_

_**I'm sorry, I'm still in shock so give me a second.**_

_**Or two. **_

_**Or a billion. **_

_**I actually got along with the stupid jerk. Me, Yagami Raito, actually got along with my (former?) arch nemesis, L Lawliet. **_

_**WTF?!**_

_**Ok… **_

_**Uh…**_

_**WHAT THE FUCK?!**_

_**After having him practically confess his… undying friendship (?!), we finally finished off our sets of rules for the other on how to practically get along. Which only makes me wonder just what kind of 'friendship' this is going to be anyway. **_

_**Sadly enough, though… I actually think I might just enjoy being L's friend. **_

_**Dear God, I think Hell just froze over and someone just tossed about in their grave. **_

_**Yet in retrospect, how long can a truce between myself and the most annoying sugar-addict the world has ever seen actually last? We've barely tolerated each other for the last 17 years, and I'm only just able to use the word 'barely' because we don't fight ALL the time.**_

_**Only 99 percent of it. That 1 percent counts, damn it.**_

_**But that's not the point. The point is, I don't think I'm going to survive these next two and a half weeks. In fact, I predict great doom and destruction onto myself, and it only gets worse as I continue to think about it. And no, I refuse to admit I am scared shitless about what's to come…**_

_**At least not out loud, anyway.**_

_**Hopefully, I'll live to see graduation and have a speech to go along with it.**_

_**Keyword: Hopefully. **_

_**Definitely going to need some sort of medication after this…**_

* * *

Raito looked down at what he had written, still wondering just what it was he was getting himself into. Dropping his pen, the high school senior closed his journal and turned off the light, wondering just what the future held for two enemies-turned-'friends' who didn't know what the hell they were doing.

'Well, at least if I go insane, I know I'll have someone going insane along with me…'

* * *

TBC...


	2. Loved You From the Start

A.N: O.O I honestly did not expect the response I got, so you guys get this chapter early. Yes, I am that awesome. Lol! Another response like that, you guys, and I may just update early again... ((hint, hint)) And for those who didn't realize in the last author's note, yes, this 'one-shot 'is already done. I'm just posting it separately since both Kit-chan and I agreed that posting it altogether at once would have been too... damaging to all of us. Lol! As it is, the conclusion of this wonderful three-shot should be posted Tuesday, but you never know... I may turn nice and post it sooner. Lol!

Another special thanks to Kitsune55 for beta-ing this monster we call a story. Let us both breathe in a sigh of relief and hope that I shall never do this to the both of us ever again. Lol! Though I'm pretty sure Kit-chan wouldn't mind. ... ... ... Yay?

Disclaimer: I don't own "Fall For You" by Secondhand Serenade, though it is a pretty song, nor do I own Death Note. Blah. Just go read.

* * *

"_This is not what I intended;_

_I always swore to you I'd never fall apart._

_You always thought that I was stronger;_

_I may have failed,_

_But I have loved you from the start._

_Ohhhh…_

_But hold your breathe, _

_Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you_

_Over again..._

_Don't make me change my mind_

_Or I won't live to see another day-_

_I swear it's true. _

_Because a girl like you is impossible to find…_

_It's impossible…"_

**-"**_**Fall For You" By Secondhand Serenade**_

* * *

Title: _**Fall For You**_

Chapter Two: _Loved You from the Start_

* * *

If the week before had been awkward, this week was absolutely driving Raito up a wall.

Every time L would pass Raito in the halls, he would grin and wave, watching in amusement as people would drop their books and trip over themselves in complete astonishment. After shaking his head out of shock, Raito would hesitantly smile and wave in return, which would then only arise yells of 'What the fuck?!' as random teachers would simply stare, wondering if Armageddon was just around the corner, and if so, who would be the first to go amid the girls spontaneously fainting within both the hallways and classrooms.

Though it happened so much this week, Raito doubted it could be considered spontaneous anymore.

As if that weren't enough, during any of the classes the boys had together, L would intentionally find ways to have them sit next to each other, ignoring the strange looks their professors would send them as Raito sweat dropped in embarrassment, wondering if a speech was worth all this harrassment.

After school, whenever neither had an activity or prior engagement, L would invite him to places, such as the library, or the tennis courts for a match. Raito would be so shocked, he really couldn't articulate an answer, so L would assume this meant yes and pull Raito to wherever it was he had proposed.

Quite frankly, it was starting to scare Raito shitless.

"Raito-kun!"

Raito blinked as he spun around, once again marveling at the new development in their sort-of friendship. (Yes, sort-of friendship. Not relationship. Definitely not relationship!)

"Raito-kun!" L huffed out as he came to a halt in front of the weary teen, not realizing just how jaded he was at this point. "Tonight… are you occupied with anything in particular?"

Raito shook his head, not even bothering to speak. He doubted anything would have come out of his mouth anyways.

"I was thinking that perhaps tonight we may work on our speech." L looked over at one of the lockers against the wall as if it were the most interesting thing on the planet.

"Uh… sure." The 17-year-old knockout shrugged. "Your house or mine?"

"Well, my brother Nate has made comments about wanting to see you again…" Raito didn't know if it was a trick of the light, but a light pink stain crossed itself against L's cheeks as he scuffed one of his feet against the tiled school floor. "That, and my other siblings would like to meet you as well. I suppose since Nate has spoken about you, they feel that it is their prerogative to meet you in person as well."

Raito shrugged once again.

"Ok."

L scratched the back of his head before nodding forward. "Very good. My grandfather is actually waiting for the both of us at the front of the school."

"So you just assumed I would say yes." The honor student rolled his eyes as L blinked.

"I knew Raito-kun didn't have any prior engagements." The raven-haired boy calmly stated, ignoring the twitch in Raito's eye in favor for the sweets he as pulling out of his pocket.

"Then why did you even ask, you freak?!"

"Because it is polite?"

"… You're being an ass again, aren't you?" Raito more deadpanned than actually asked.

L grinned elfishly, knowing that bothering Raito would always come first and foremost on his agenda.

"It is hard to tell, isn't it Raito-kun?"

Raito scoffed as he pushed his book-bag over his shoulder and glared down at the ground, ignoring the strange looks from their fellow classmates as he followed the pale demon out of school grounds where the other's elderly minion was waiting for them.

"Hard to tell my ass…"

* * *

_**Operation: Write Speech – Week Three**_

* * *

"How are you, Yagami-kun?" Quillsh gave the boy one of his signature paternal smiles as he pulled the door open, beckoning the exhausted teen in with his hand. Raito shoved his journal within his book-bag, swinging it over his left side as he entered the Whammy 'household.'

"I'm fine, Whammy-san." Raito smiled tiredly at the elderly man, glad to see him once again. "And you?"

"As well as I can be trying to keep up with three rambunctious boys and L." Raito hung his coat up as he stifled a grin and a chuckle from the genial gentleman. "L has already made it within his room, awaiting your arrival. I'm sure the boys will bombard the room eventually if you wait long enough."

Which in Whammy terms meant 'The kids really want to see you, so try not to fuck up the house and leave within the next five minutes, thanks?'

Raito sweat dropped as he nodded before trudging his way up to L's room, preparing himself for the best… and most definitely the worst.

'Why me?'

* * *

"What does Raito-kun think about this?"

Raito carefully took the paper out of L's hand as he read, and then re-read the lines presented in front of him, blinking in both confusion and astonishment.

When did L get so damn good at writing?!

"This is incredible…" The amazed brunette missed the flush burning L's cheeks as he carefully rolled the Jolly Rancher against his tongue, a faint smirk brushing the corners of the sugar addict's lips as he did so.

"I am not completely inept when it comes to the art of public speaking, Raito-kun." The raven-haired insomniac leaned over the misanthropic teen's shoulder, reveling in the marvel carved within Raito's face as he continued to read. "Yet, I am quite sure that with Raito-kun's input, this speech should only become better."

"Well, there are some things I think could be improved on… here… and here…" The pencil within Raito's hand began to write erratically, barely pausing once the scrawl began.

"Raito-kun certainly does look as though he knows what he's doing…" L muttered as he continued to peek over his 'friend's' shoulder, a tiny smirk set over his bland features.

"That's because I _do_ know what I'm doing." Raito gave the boy a small glare as his hand continued to fly across the page, not even stopping for a moment. "Don't question my awesomeness when it comes to words."

"Trust me, Raito-kun, if I believe anyone could bullshit their way out of a situation…"

"What was that?"

"Nothing, Raito-kun. Nothing at all…"

"Why you little-"

"Raito-san!"

Raito finally paused in his writing as he looked up, blinking in surprise.

Nate smiled shyly as he entered the room, the same teddy bear as before still clutched within his arms. "It's nice to see you again, Raito-san."

"It's nice to see you too, Nate." The suddenly animated brunette grinned as the boy came closer pushing the notebook aside for the moment. Nodding for Nate to come closer, the silver-haired boy sat directly next to Raito, unceremoniously plopping his toy in front of him. "How have you been?"

"The same as always." The small boy answered back, concentrating his energy on playing with his bear's arms. "But I'm sure they will be much more interesting with Raito-san here again…"

Raito sweat dropped.

"I'm… sure."

"Raito-kun has yet to meet any of my other siblings, yes?" L chewed on his thumb as he muttered under his breath.

"How many do you actually freaking have?!" Raito exclaimed, wondering just how much he actually knew about the enigmatic 17-year-old with whom he had known all of his life.

"Only three. Nate is the youngest of the batch, along with Mail and Mihael, who are both about four or five years younger than us both. I forget whose what age all the time, if truth be told…"

"What a wonderful brother you are." Raito remarked dryly as L shrugged, sticking another Jolly Rancher within his lips as he did so.

"Hasn't Raito-kun ever heard that 'age ain't nothin' but a number'?"

Raito didn't even deign to answer the question, in all its creepy insinuation.

"You know, I've been meaning to ask, L. Why is it that I'm only just finding out about these mystery children _now_? I've practically have known you all my life, and you've _never_ spoken about your siblings before…" An intensely uncomfortable look settled itself over L's face as Nate pulled his head down, his hands curling around the small paws of his teddy bear rather tightly. Raito blinked as both brothers refused to look at each other, the once tranquil atmosphere of the room turning awkward and tense.

Raito attempted to think of something else to say, but was beaten to the punch as the door slammed open once again, hitting the wall with a loud crash.

"Yo, L! Do you have anymore tape?! I can't seem to… find mine…"

Dark eyes narrowed as blonde locks fell against a small childish face, as what looked to be a girl stood by the door way covered from head to toe in black with a simple white rosary hanging off his (or her?) neck. Another boy stood next to the girly-looking child, this one with intense red hair along with bright orange goggles to obscure his vision, leaning against the wall as he continued to stare down intently at the gaming device within his hands.

Raito blinked once again, wondering if L's family was genuinely full of nothing but freaky kids with strangely uncomfortable stares and weird fetishes.

"Who the hell is this?" The blonde spat out, causing both Nate and L to roll their eyes as Raito automatically bristled in anger.

"This is my friend, Yagami Raito, Mihael… I expect you to treat him with the same respect you show me…" As L said this, Raito then rolled his own eyes, sensing the slight sarcasm behind the 17-year-old's words as the blonde, now known as Mihael, stared at the raven-haired teen strangely.

"Friend, huh?" The redhead finally looked up from the device's screen, giving Raito a slight perusal as he did so. "Cute friend."

L stifled a grin as Raito's eye twitched.

"Raito-kun, these are my two other younger brothers; the strange blonde one with gender-confusion issues is Mihael-"

"Hey! I DO NOT HAVE GENDER-CONFUSION ISSUES, FOR THE LAST FREAKING TIME!" Mihael then proceeded to explode as Raito backed away a couple of spaces, wondering if the kid was semi-psychotic.

"And the other is Mail, who seems to always be permanently attached to a gaming console, whether portable or otherwise."

Mail stared at the screen for another moment before picking up his left hand and giving a thumb's up.

"Hey."

Raito sweat dropped.

"Err…"

"This is my family, Raito-kun." L smiled quite creepily as Raito felt his eye twitch once again. "What does Raito-kun think?"

"I think it's time for me to go, L." Raito began collecting his things, feeling a headache build just behind his eyes.

"Mihael, the tape is behind the couch in the living room, stuck underneath the lamp table. And do not give me that look, we both know who it was that put it there. Mail, I am sure that if you assist Mihael in his search, there should be no problem." L then turned to the small boy still sitting beside where Raito had formerly been sitting. "Nate, would you please leave the room for a moment whilst I speak with Raito-kun alone?"

Mihael gave Raito one last glance before pulling Mail away from the room, sticking his tongue out at Nate before fully leaving the vicinity of L's sanctuary. Nate rolled his eyes once more before standing up and nodding, tucking his bear within his embrace.

"Goodbye Raito-san." The tiny child unexpectedly drew the high school senior in for a hug before scurrying out of the room, leaving only L and Raito by themselves.

"What is it?" Raito sighed as L slowly picked himself up as well.

"When will I see Raito-kun again?" L pulled another Jolly Rancher out of his pocket, carefully unwrapping it as he spoke.

"At school tomorrow." Raito spoke slowly, as if L were an idiot.

'Why the hell would he ask me something like that?!' The suspicious brunette thought to himself as L popped the candy within his mouth, savoring the flavor of the small morsel rather decadently. 'What are you up to, L…?'

"I meant just the two of us, Raito-kun." Rounded onyx eyes kept their gaze on the pretty brunette in front of them, taking in the blush settling itself over Raito's cheeks rather deliciously. "I never thought I would enjoy spending quality time with Raito-kun, but now that I have, I must say that I am most definitely fond of it."

"I… uh…" The blush spread over Raito's cheeks flourished as L's smirk widened in response. "I don't think I have anything planned… tomorrow?"

"Very well then. I shall meet Raito-kun out by the school gates after school is terminated." L plopped down on his bed as Raito stared at the boy in disbelief.

"Where are we going?" The struck student finally coughed out, embarrassed by the sudden declaration on the other boy's part.

"Anywhere I desire."

Raito blinked.

And then he blinked again.

"O… k…"

Before a smartass comment could come flying out of his mouth, Raito turned towards the doorway and exited the room, not noticing the large Cheshire grin settled over the pallid insomniac's lips.

'Tomorrow… tomorrow… tomorrow…' L thought to himself as he closed his eyes, wondering just what tomorrow would actually bring. With a small smile, the dark-haired teen allowed himself a moment of rest before going downstairs, where insufferable doom and destruction by the hands of three insanely smart (and demonic) children lay waiting for him.

'And Raito-kun thinks I'm bad…'

* * *

Raito gently tapped his fingers against his thigh as he leaned back against the wall of their school gates, his patience draining by the second. His curiosity was killing him, and really, he just had to know what L was thinking.

Though L had absconded with him for the past week and a half, he had never actually announced beforehand that he would do so. In fact, Raito had never been given any warning whatsoever before being dragged off to wherever they were going, so Raito considered it an event now that the sugar addicted student had done so.

But something told the intellectual brunette that there was something more to this outing than simply 'hanging out' as they had been doing prior. There had been something within L's eyes that had glistened when he had brought the outing up, sparking the usually dull ebony eyes to life.

It was interesting to say the least.

The 17-year-old drama king sighed as he looked up, not surprised in the least to see the familiar head of disheveled charcoal locks and messy school uniform make its way to him, the urge to attack the boy with a multitude of questions welling up within him, making him just want to explode.

"So what?"

"So what, what?"

Raito glared over at the boy as he pulled at his book-bag straps.

"Where are we going?"

L blinked, the smirk that should have laid on his face deeply hidden behind his eyes.

"Why did Raito-kun not just ask this to begin with?"

"Stop being an ass!" Raito cried out, following L as he began to walk out the school gates. "God, I swear you do it just to annoy me sometimes! I know you're not nearly as condescending to other people as you are with me…"

"At least Raito-kun is paying attention, then." Was the patronizing reply the brunette received as L continued to slouch forward without a care in the world.

"Are you trying to get me to hit you?" Raito snarled out as he felt the last of his patience finally snap.

L then spun around, making the boy stumble in response as he noticed just how close their faces were at the sudden unannounced halt.

"I wish Raito-kun would stop being so violent with me." Chocolate brown met charcoal black in a clash of stubbornness as L continued to speak, making Raito internally squirm. "If Raito-kun must engage in physical contact, it should be of the affectionate sort, no?"

Without another word, L turned around and began his power walk once again. Raito, still shocked (and wondering if he should have been appalled) at the implications of L's words, continued to follow the ghostly boy in his strides.

The rest of the walk was spent in silence as both boys brooded and plotted within their own minds.

* * *

Raito felt his eyes widen in astonishment as he finally took in the scenery around him, wondering just how they ended up in a place like this.

"I… wow."

"Yes, Raito-kun. 'Wow' would be correct."

L dropped his book-bag down on the dirt ground as he stood in front of the grassy area, the floral bushes and trees hiding the sacred spot brilliantly. A small pond sat to their far left side, illuminating the area with its natural reflection. Every time L arrived here, he always felt so at peace within himself…

"This is beautiful."

Surprisingly enough, he did not feel much different with Raito by his side.

"I am glad Raito-kun is taken in by the scenery." L muttered to himself, noticing the lack of attention the astounded teen sent his way as he uncharacteristically threw his book-bag onto the ground as well and knelt down beside the pond.

Fingertips gently traced the still water, creating small ripples against the surface. L could not help but be entranced by this side of Raito, carefully drawing out imaginary pictures against the cool liquid as a lazy smile spread itself across his face.

"Thank you for bringing me here."

The words were said so softly, for a moment L thought he had imagined them altogether. The normally cranky brunette gave the boy a small grin before turning back at the pond before them, settling himself over the slightly muddy ground as if he had not a care in the world.

"It's… nice."

"Raito-kun is most very welcome." L managed to sputter this out as he fidgeted where he stood. L damned his sudden loss of dignity as Raito continued to look at their destination with such an adorable look on his face, that it took all he had left to not melt into a pile of goo. "Truth be told, I did not expect Raito-kun to take so quickly to this place. He does not seem like someone who would advocate the beauties of nature."

"Well there's a lot you don't know about me, now isn't there?" Raito softly mumbled as he finally got comfortable and laid his head back, using his backpack as a pillow. "Just like there's a lot I don't know about you."

"Is that an invitation for provocation, Raito-kun?" L smiled as the mischievous cinnamon-eyed boy gave L a wink, conjuring up a newfound playfulness that the silent dark-haired senior had never seen before.

"If you want it to be." Raito answered simply, closing his bright eyes once more. "I must admit, I am intensely curious…"

"There is nothing overtly special about me, Raito-kun." L bit his thumb as the boy sitting on the ground next to him snorted dubiously.

"So says the boy who hides his whole life behind a sleeve." Raito muttered quietly to himself, not aware that L had heard every word.

"As interesting as that would be, I do not think my life could be hidden by a sleeve, Raito-kun."

"You know exactly what I mean, you just want me to spare you the trouble of having to say it. You know that doesn't work, L."

L lowered himself down onto the ground next to Raito, not caring in the least if his uniform became sullied by the dirt.

"This place is very special to me." L whispered as he curled his legs up against his chest, sitting as straight as he could as Raito stared up at him from his reclined position next to him. "It holds many memories that I hold very near and dear."

Raito said nothing, obviously expecting L to continue on his own. The raven-haired sighed, cursing the young Yagami's infuriating insistence at questioning everything and anything.

"I do not usually tell anyone of my happenings, Raito-kun."

Silence.

"And I do not expect Raito-kun to understand the things I myself have gone through."

Silence.

"He has held the ideal life, standing on a pedestal of perfection. People adore him and constantly remind him of this fact…"

Silence.

"Not everyone has lived that idyllic life style you are accustomed to, Raito-kun."

Raito blinked.

"What?"

"Raito-kun heard me-"

"No." The agitated brunette sat up, glaring at his rival with all the intensity he could garner. "You're wrong. Whatever it is you think I live or whatever inane thoughts you have about my family is so obviously out of the ballpark, it's not even funny."

"I can't help that I'm smart, and obviously I can't help what I look like. People attack me all the time because they think I'm so stuck up… and why? Because I happen to excel? How is that fair?" Raito turned his gaze out towards the pond, the words slipping off his tongue easier than he thought they would. "All of sudden, I'm expected to be this thing I'm not, and people treat me as if I'm sort of phenomenon. Pressures and expectations from both of my parents, the teachers, the student body, my little sister… One slip, and all of sudden everyone is disappointed in me. The only person I've ever felt comfortable actually being myself with is…"

Raito glanced up at L, the sheer honesty within his depths taking the onyx-eyed boy completely off guard.

"Is you."

L furrowed his brow as he bit down on his thumb nail, wanting to say something, but now knowing how.

"That's weird, isn't it?" Raito murmured as he laid his head back down against his book bag. "But for once, it's the truth… something I just can't take back because somebody doesn't want to hear it. It's amazing that the only person I could ever truly express myself to was an asshole with a sugar fetish."

"Maybe not so amazing considering how alike we both are mentally, Raito-kun." L countered, gazing out into the ethereal light reflected off the pool of water in front of them. "I have also come across the same dilemmas… though of a slightly _different_ nature, I must admit."

"Because you look like a gothic freak who needs a shower?"

L's eye twitched as Raito smirked.

"Yes, Raito-kun. I suppose so. May I please continue?"

"Of course."

"Thank you. I am quite aware my… appearance has assisted in my self-isolation from most of the student body, along with my rather blunt way of speaking and strange mannerisms." L began to pick at his jeans as he spoke, a nervous gleam illuminating his darkened depths as he did so. "The difference between Raito-kun and I is that I refuse to conform to those around me, and therefore am ostracized for this fact. This does not bother me, however. Those people are simpletons and to pay heed to their whims are moronic."

Raito glared at the boy, somehow expecting a cut in his direction during the duration of L's little speech.

"The only person's opinion I value is of the one who matches me both mentally and physically. Who can challenge the way I deliberate and not think less, if not more, of me for the things I say and do. Who I can open up to without the slightest bit of a push, but whom I know will push anyway because that is his way…" L's stare slowly slid from the pond to Raito, as the boy's own gaze widened in response. "There is so much I wish I could say, that I wish I could have said much earlier than today, but the only person I would care to speak to is sitting next to me, and he has never much cared about what I have had to say before now."

"Then what's stopping you now?" Raito whispered, hypnotized by other's penetrating gaze.

L grinned before leaning over and placing a small kiss over the other boy's soft lips, knowing that this would either make or break whatever attempts L had made for a relationship with his fellow genius, but somehow not caring in the least.

"Absolutely nothing, Raito-kun… except you."

The boy held in his breath as the warmth from the body above him disappeared, leaving him disoriented and uncomfortable within his own skin.

"Shall we stay here for awhile longer, Raito-kun?"

The brunette simply nodded, feeling the edges of his sanity fray at the edges.

Yet was that really anything new with L?

Neither boy said anything else to the other for the rest of the time spent at the small groove, both contemplating whether or not this friendship had just ended before it had even had had a chance to begin.

* * *

_**Operation: Write Speech – Week Three**_

* * *

_**I think L does things to purposely confuse the shit out of me, and I am left to do nothing but wonder why. **_

_**No, that's wrong. I'm not wondering why. I'm pretty sure I know why. **_

_**BECAUSE HE WANTS TO DRIVE ME FUCKING CRAZY!**_

_**But I digress. **_

_**Can you believe he had the gall to kiss me? KISS ME?! I don't care if it was just a peck on the mouth, (Though that's fucking weird enough as it is, being kissed on the mouth by some guy you've practically HATED your whole damn life!) who the hell does that to their rival, let alone their male rival?! **_

_**See? Trying. To. Drive. Me. CRAZY! **_

_**I thought he was actually serious about wanting to be my friend… about wanting to set aside this ridiculous feud and start a set of whole new lives with clean slates… **_

_**But what does it matter? He's going to America. Hell, he probably won't even remember me once he gets into the groove of things and starts taking out the competition one by one. I on the other hand am staying here in Japan, where I'll probably never meet someone like him who could challenge me the way L did. He's done so much for me, and he'll never know just how much I've come to appreciate his presence…**_

_**But then he had to pull some crap like this. **_

_**What did he think I would do, blush like a schoolgirl and giggle like Misa or Kiyomi? What, so he could have more ammunition for whatever gay joke of the day he always seems to be stocked with. Even if I was gay, what he did was rude, evasive, moronic, disgusting, appealing, wonderful, fantastic-**_

* * *

"GAH!"

Raito quickly erased the last set of words, blushing fiercely as he did so.

* * *

_**Yes… disgusting. **_

_**Not stimulating in the least. **_

_**And if I keep telling myself that…**_

_**Maybe I'll start to believe it myself. **_

* * *

Raito sighed as he slammed the journal shut and threw it against his desk for good measure, eyes weighted with sags underneath them from lack of sleep.

"Raito?" A tap on the boy's door accompanied with his name took Raito off guard as he almost slipped on a piece of paper beside his foot next to his desk. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Of course, dad." Raito cleared his throat as his father entered his room, his own eyes looking equally as tired as Raito's. "What's up?"

"Just wanted to see how you were doing with L…" Soichirou sat down on the boy's bed, not noticing the uncomfortable look settled over his son's usually placid features. "I know writing this speech with him of all people must be difficult for you, but-"

"Dad." Raito halted the ageing detective before he could go any further, sweat dropping at the lateness of his pep talk. "I'm fine."

"Really?"

"Neither of us is in the hospital yet, are we?" Raito deadpanned.

"… … Yet."

"We're almost done with the stupid thing," the twitchy brunette finally admitted, actually proud of the collaborative effort put in by both his and L's part. "And I'm sure after we're finished, we'll never have to talk to each other ever again. Better now?"

"Well, that's good." Soichirou sighed in relief. "Something to look forward to, right?"

The shaky smile set over Raito's lips didn't even fool his father as the high school senior nodded enthusiastically, wondering not for the first time just what the hell was the matter with him.

'My dad's right. I'll never have to see L ever again after this whole debacle…'

For some reason, Raito didn't feel quite as elated as he should have while thinking this.

* * *

For once, Raito felt guilty.

And not just kind of guilty.

Oh no.

Really… really… really mind-numbingly, obnoxiously, ridiculously, guilty.

Where was a good wall when you needed one?

Raito blinked as he leaned back against the smooth wall of the bathroom stall he now resided.

Oh.

'I knew that.' The boy thought to himself as he nearly gave himself a good slap in the face for the moment of stupidity.

For the last six days, he had avoided L like the plague. Whether the boy was trying to partner up with him in class, or call him at his house, or even walking down the hall, minding his own business, Raito would find new and inventive ways to avoid all contact with the boy whatsoever.

Quite frankly, it was tiring the teen out both physically and mentally.

And a tired Raito was a cranky one indeed.

Shifting within the bathroom stall, Raito sat on the disgusting unsanitary floor, waiting for the coast to be clear out in the hallways. L had a designated time from getting to one class to another, timing each step as precisely as possible.

Raito was trying to figure out if the fact that he knew this was creepy or not.

The door to the bathroom slammed open, causing the boy to wince at the sharpness of the sound. Light footsteps clicked against the smooth tiled floor, the familiarity of it making the poor boy tense against the cool wall he was leaning against.

Raito didn't even question how he knew what L's footsteps sounded like.

That pretty much just led to a bad road in general.

"I know you are in here, Raito-kun."

God fucking damn it.

Raito did not say a word, hoping to convey the message as clearly as possible.

But really…

"Raito-kun, if you do not exit the stall you are now residing, I shall have to kick the doors open until I find you."

Raito should never underestimate L's stubbornness, as it could be just as bad as his own.

"Why can't you just leave me alone, L?" The voice was pathetically weak, nothing like the strong tenor that usually came out of Raito's mouth. For once, the 17-year-old felt vulnerably exposed in front of the other's bland stare , even from behind a stall door.

"Not until Raito leaves the safety of the stall and faces me like a man."

"Can't we do this some other time?!"

"No… obviously I have made Raito-kun uncomfortable, and for that, I must apologize."

"… … … Did you just say… apologize?"

L sighed, wondering just why it had to be _this _boy in particular he was actually attracted to.

"Yes, Raito-kun."

"… … … And did you just… sound sincere about it?"

"**Yes, Raito-kun**."

The stall quietly opened, revealing a pair of shocked mahogany colored eyes staring intently at the pale, scraggly teen not even a foot away from them.

"Well, I'll be damned."

L rolled his eyes, quite sure that Raito had to be one of the most dramatic people he had ever come in contact with.

"I did not mean to frighten Raito-kun off the other day." L whispered as the boy in front of him shifted uncomfortably against the bathroom stall. "If he would accept my apology, we could both forget about the incident altogether and never speak of it ever again. Does Raito-kun concur?"

Raito clenched his fists as L's stare, which earlier that week had been filled with so many foreign emotions, now lay barren for Raito to see. This was not the same person who had brought him to see the beautiful foliage, intent on making some sort of connection with the brunette who had always known how much he had wanted to do the same, yet did not know how.

The direction of the next path all depended on the answer Raito now gave L. The dark-haired boy had made his decision long before Raito, and had not hesitated in letting the boy know with just a simple brush of the lips. Now, L was giving Raito the chance to either make this relationship (or whatever the hell it was) or break it before anyone could truly get hurt.

It almost didn't seem fair… but L was not known to play by the rules, and this new game they were playing was of course, no exception.

So it was with this thought and this thought only in mind that Raito took that first damning step, breaking whatever brittle boundaries that were left between both boys and capturing L's lips in a chaste kiss of his own.

It lasted all but a second, but the message was loud and clear…

L stood completely and utterly still, eyes having fluttered closed at the small bit of intimate contact.

"I don't know what it is you want from me," Raito whispered as he stepped back, cheeks slightly pink from embarrassment as he fisted his hands against his hips. "But I'm willing to see where this road takes us… as long as no gay jokes lay within the horizon."

"Raito-kun…" Murky onyx colored eyes slowly flickered open as the paler boy took in the absolutely adorable sight in front of him, wondering just why it had taken him so long to get past this point.

"I mean it! Absolutely no more RuPaul jokes, or talking about how effeminate I am, or making fun of the foundation and bottle of lotion in my book bag-"

"Raito-kun…"

"Taking my cologne and telling all the girls that it's actually filled with ladies perfume and some sort of voodoo love potion-"

"Raito-kun…"

"Hiding women's underwear in my locker and telling people I cross-dress in my spare time-"

"_Raito-kun_…"

"Filling the walls with 'Ambiguously Gay' Raito-posters-"

"_**Raito-kun!**_"

"What?!"

A pair of lips crushed his own as Raito's eyes widened in shock, the feeling of warmth overshadowed by the surge of astonishment numbing his now completely downtrodden brain. Hands gently tugged at Raito's golden sepia locks of hair, pulling the boy closer to the suddenly aggressive high school student abruptly pressing the brunette up against the stall.

Small puffs of air gently blew across the stunned boy's cheeks as his hands slowly loosened at his sides and placed them in between himself and the dark-haired insomniac kissing him, not having enough in him to actually push the grungy teen away from him. Eyes slowly lost their wide-eyed edge, softening around the edges as Raito fully relaxed within L's embrace and lost himself within the moment.

After a couple seconds of nothing but pure contact, L finally pulled away, a small smirk set on his face as the blush on Raito's face returned with a vengeance, brightening his tanned face tenfold.

"Shall I see Raito-kun afterschool, today? I was thinking of going to the library so that we may focus our attentions on the speech we have both been neglecting to finish this last week." L whispered against the boy's cheek, fingers gently caressing the smooth skin as the dazed brunette blinked in astonishment.

The boy finally nodded slowly, still in slight shock at the demanding display of affection presented by none other than L Lawliet, emotionless robot extraordinaire. "Very good. I shall wait for Raito-kun in front of the school gates like always."

After one last small peck, L finally released the boy once again. "Try not to hide in anymore bathroom stalls, Raito-kun. We wouldn't want to sully that pristine girlishness we all know and love, as who knows who's been in them last?"

Raito stood gaping by the stall, eyes wide with shock as that kiss replayed itself over and over within his head. In fact, it took Raito a whole five minutes to even understand he was insulted, let alone react to it due to the lack of blood flow to the brain.

So when the high school cheerleading team heard wild screeches emanating from inside the men's bathroom, screams that sounded suspiciously like _the _Yagami Raito's voice, they knew better than to even ask each other what was wrong or if somebody should call the teacher to report a psychotic maniac on the loose.

When Yagami Raito and L Lawliet crossed paths, it was best to stay as much out of it as possible.

* * *

TBC...


	3. I'm Yours to Keep

A.N: Ok, here's the conclusion all of you seem so desperate to have. Lol! Now do you guys realize what I would have put all of us through if I would have posted this all at once?! My ass was aching by the time I was done writing, let alone re-reading. O.o; Maybe that was too much information. Lol! So, both Kit-chan and I worked long and hard (Stop giggling, damn you!) on this story, so please, let us know what you think. Too long? Too wordy? Too much in general?! Lol! Constructive critiscism, please! XD

And once again, super sparkly thanks to Kitsune55 for beta-ing this chapter for me, even whilst being as busy as she was. I know you guys are all totally jealous because my beta is the epitome of awesomeness. Yes, most definitely awesome. Lol!

Dis-freaking-claimer: I do not "Fall For You" by Secondhand Serenade, nor do I own Death Note. Though if I did, you know it would be even crazier than it already is. And not in the good way. Lol! Now go read! Shoo!

* * *

"_So breathe in so deep-_

_Breathe me in;_

_I'm yours to keep…_

_And hold onto your words,_

_Cuz talk is cheap._

_And remember me tonight_

_When you're asleep._

_Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you_

_Over again…_

_Don't make me change my mind_

_Or I won't live to see another day-_

_I swear it's true. _

_Because a girl like you is impossible to find…"_

_**-"Fall For You" By Secondhand Serenade**_

* * *

Title: _**Fall For You**_

Chapter Three: _I'm Yours to Keep_

* * *

Raito tapped his foot against the sidewalk, having lost any and all patience five minutes ago. As many knew, Raito did not like having to wait for people when a set time was in place and said person said they were going to be there.

It wasted his time.

Raito did not like it when his time was wasted.

And of course, who was the person wasting said time?

"Of course, he decides to be late _today_…"

Well, that was quite obvious, now wasn't it?

"Raito-kun!"

Raito spun around at the sound of his name, ready to curse the ungrateful asshole who had kept him waiting for over _twenty minutes_, when a frantic L grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the gate Raito had been leaning against and in the opposite direction of the library.

"L Lawliet, what the _hell_ do you think you're-"

"Raito-kun, less talking and more running!"

"But why-"

"RAITO-KUUUUUUUN!"

Raito shivered, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

"OH MY GOD, COME BACK RAITO!"

'Oh dear mother fucking shit…'

"WE LOVE YOU RAITO!"

"Oh my flipping God, you lead my fan girls right to me?! WHAT KIND OF ASSHOLE ARE YOU?" Raito glared at the boy as a gaggle of girls ran after them, screaming at Raito about his supposed hotness.

'Like I don't know how hot I am…' Raito snipped within his own mind, still glaring over at the barely panting L pulling him by the wrist.

"They all attacked me whilst I was coming out of the classroom and bombarded me with questions about our supposed friendship. They are now all somehow convinced that we are together and that for some strange reason, I am your sugar daddy."

"WHA-Gah!"

L suddenly turned a corner as they hit a busy street full of traffic and new crowds of people, the screams of the banshee women dying out until neither boy could hear it above the beeps of car horns and emphatic talking of the people around them.

Before Raito had a chance to catch his breath, L, still holding onto Raito's wrist, pulled him forward as he began to power walk to some unknown destination. "L… where are we going?"

"There is a pastry shop not too far from here…" The dark-haired sugar addict muttered as his eyes widened once the shop was finally spotted. "Ah…"

"Is cake and candy all you think about?" Raito deadpanned, quite sure he had never seen any other person get so excited over the prospect of eating sweets.

"I think about Raito-kun as well." L smirked. "Does that count?"

"Ass…" The embarrassed honor student hissed as he was pushed inside the small shop against his will and practically shoved into a chair. "We should be at the library right now, by the way."

"Does Raito-kun think the library is safe for us at this point?" L glanced over at the many pastries available through the glass screens, wondering just what he was in the mood for. Boston crème pie, strawberry shortcake, cheesecake, cookies, éclairs…

"Well, whose fault is that?!" Raito attempted to keep his voice down, but just thinking about the mob of girls that would now be trailing after both of the boys rankled his ire even more than usual. "Now everybody is going to think we're some sort of couple!"

L stared at Raito, quirking a non-existent eyebrow in response.

"… … … Perhaps I have misread Raito's _intentions_ earlier today, but I believed we _were _now a couple."

"That's not the point." The agitated boy pouted as he crossed his arms against his chest, keeping his gaze on the table so not to look over L's way.

"Then what is the point, Raito-kun?"

"The point is now we won't be able to even go anywhere without worrying if somebody from our school is going to trample over to where we are and attack us with uncomfortable questions!" Raito finally looked up at L with honest eyes, the irritation he felt with the situation as clear as day. "I don't want what I do publicized to the whole school! Isn't this supposed to be just about us?"

"I did not know Raito-kun was such a private person." L stated, not having realized just how shy the boy really was. Almost painfully shy, if truth be told… "With the way your past relationships had always been broadcasted…"

"L, I never even went out with more than half of those girls." The serious expression on the boy's face intensified, amplifying just how uncomfortable Raito felt about all the past 'coverage' of his love life. "And the other half just made up weird stories about things we never did just for the hell of it."

"I see." Was the last thing L said before he got up from his chair and turned to make his way to the counter filled with all the baked foods money could buy. "Would Raito-kun like anything from the various assortments of pastries?"

"No thank you. Just coffee. Lots… and lots… of coffee. Black, no sugar, please?"

'And possibly some vodka to go along with that, thank you very much…'

"Of course, Raito-kun. I can only expect you to be so boring."

Raito's eye twitched.

"You just love to piss me off, don't you?" The brunette muttered as he laid his head down against the table, wondering just why he had been so moronic and actually thought giving this dimwit a chance was a good idea.

"Think of it as a sort of mandatory courting ritual from me." L smirked as he turned around, wondering just how big the red spot on Raito's would be after he was finished banging his head against the table.

Pretty big from the amount of banging coming from behind him was any indication…

"Hello. I would like two pieces of your strawberry cheesecake, along with two cups of the strongest coffee you have… both extreme cream and extra sugar."

* * *

"What the hell…"

"What is it, Raito-kun?"

"… … You are an asshole."

"Raito-kun does not fail to remind me of this fact every time he sees me."

"Because it only becomes more evident every time I see you."

Raito glared at the large piece of cheesecake placed in front of him, knowing he should have known better than to expect L to actually listen to anything he actually said. L grinned mischievously as he ate his own slice of cake, enjoying the look on Raito's face way more than the sugary piece of goodness sliding down his throat.

"Raito-kun is exaggerating for his own benefit. Here… the coffee I brought for Raito-kun will get cold if he continues to ignore it." A pale finger nudged the cup in Raito's direction as the boy flinched at the milky white coloring of the beverage.

"I don't drink coffee with-"

"Please?"

Raito sighed, feeling a headache build steadily against the back of his mind.

"Will you leave me alone if I drink the damn thing?"

"Perhaps." L tilted his head to the side as he licked his spoon, childishly widening his eyes in a ploy for innocence.

Cinnamon eyes narrowed suspiciously before the 17-year-old teenage prodigy cautiously lifted the saturated concoction to his lips and took a small sip, internally cringing at the sugary sweet taste.

"This… is disgusting." Placing the cup down, Raito pushed the fattening cake in L's direction, rolling his eyes at the delighted beam sent his way. "Here. You know this is all going to eventually lead to either a heart attack or diabetes, right?"

"I cannot hear you, Raito-kun. The wonderful creation that is cheesecake has pulled me in with its spell."

"You are such a child."

"Yes. I am." L agreed without a second thought, spoon hanging out of the corner of his mouth. "And Raito-kun likes me better that way."

Raito blushed as he attempted to scoff off the other boy's comment, picking up the cup once more and taking another sip of the sugar-filled drink. "Not the point…"

"Once again, Raito-kun, I must ask. What is the point, then?"

"Why don't we talk about something else?" Raito suggested before he tried to strangle the man with his bare hands.

"Hm… Raito-kun did ask me some questions about my family the other day." Raito froze within his seat as L continued to speak as nonchalantly as possible, eyes obscured by his shaggy onyx tresses. "Does he still wish to have the answers to his sordid queries?"

'Sordid…' Raito put the cup down as he got up unexpectedly, catching the strawberry-stained insomniac off guard. 'To you, it probably would be sordid, wouldn't it? You've always hid a great deal of things behind that blank gaze and disheveled features, just as I've done with my own smooth smile and blurred perfection. We really are one in the same…'

"How about we go to my house for just a bit…" For once, the smile on Raito's face was genuine and full of a candid affection that L had never seen within the other boy's cold exterior. "I'm sure my parents won't mind."

L put down the spoon still held tightly within his grasp, once more glancing up at the honest expression lightening the other boy's visage. Picking up his garbage piece by piece, the obsidian-eyed adolescent slowly stood up and turned to fully face the smiling boy.

"If Raito-kun wishes it to be so, then to his home we shall go."

If the grin on Raito's face was anything to go by, then he was most definitely pleased.

And L found himself smiling as well, despite of everything else floating around in his mind.

* * *

"Hey mom!"

"Hello, Raito, dear."

"Hello, Yagami-san."

"He-hello… L-kun…"

Yagami Sachiko stared at the pair of boys making their way to Raito's room, wondering if she should get the fire extinguisher ready.

'I'm sure they'll be fine… Just think positive thoughts, Sachiko. Positive. Thoughts.'

The older woman gave her signature motherly smile before turning back to the oven in front of her, hoping against hope that she would not have to clean up the remains of another L vs. Raito battle.

* * *

"So, what's up?"

Raito peered over at the boy lying beside him under half-lidded eyes, tired from both the emotional confrontation and the crazed attack from his set of fan girls, who were no doubt spreading the word of his gayness to the whole school even as L and Raito lay in bed, barely half awake.

"Hm…" L murmured, panda-like eyes fluttering despite his naturally restless nature. "A lot."

"Like…" The word rolled off the brunette's tongue in a slight slur, the allure of sleep tempting him to just forget the conversation and just close his almond brown eyes.

"Everything, Raito-kun. Like everything." The bed sheets rustled slightly as L moved closer to Raito's figure, turning on his side so that he was facing his temperamental friend. "I do not know where to begin, Raito-kun. I have never had someone with whom I could actually discuss my personal life with before."

"Me neither." Raito quietly admitted as he tucked his arms behind his head, happily stretched out against his bed as L moved even in closer than before. Barely centimeters lay between them as both students savored the quietness of the room, the tranquility foreign in both of their minds. "I never thought you would be the one I would bare my soul to."

"Why not, Raito-kun?"

Raito gave the boy a scornful glare.

"If it makes Raito-kun feel better," L began to chew on his thumb, bringing his other arm over Raito's waist as he did so. "I also did not expect Raito-kun to be the one I would open up to prior to all of this. In fact, I could say with complete honesty that Raito-kun was the last person on Earth I could have imagined speaking to about anything sensitive in concerns to me."

"You're so kind to me." The brunette muttered as his glare intensified. L chuckled to himself, quite sure that the boy was the most adorable when irritated and exhausted. "But really, let's get to the point of all this."

The dark-haired senior quickly sobered as the glower evaporated from Raito's face, worrying the brunette even more than before.

"This will only work if Raito-kun asks me the questions." L replied, still slightly out of it. "I fear I have neither the will nor the tenacity to simply throw my whole life onto your feet, Raito-kun."

"You're being a brat again."

"Perhaps." A very frail looking L closed his eyes, exhausted beyond all belief. "Or perhaps I am simply attempting to give you free reign of this conversation. Does that not appeal to Raito-kun?"

Raito wanted to deny the fact, but having L actually _allow_ him to ask what he wished (and have guaranteed answers afterwards) was too much of a temptation. There was so much he had always wanted to know about this one boy who was both his greatest of enemies and now, most treasured of friends…

"Well… I have always wondered what ever happened to your parents." The boy muttered, only to be silenced once more by a sharp contrast of L's normally bland tone.

"Parent."

Raito blinked.

"My father passed away before I was born from thoracic cancer." L's wide eyes were narrowed in thought as he began to play with one of the belt loops on Raito's uniform pants. "My grandfather does not like discussing it very much, as it is an intensely sore subject for him, obviously. I have seen some pictures of him, and thankfully I inherited most of my father's looks and intelligence."

"Oh…" The look on L's face only intensified once Raito began to think of the other half of L's parental equation. "Then what about-"

"My mother abandoned me to my grandfather after I was born, as it was too late to get an abortion. At least, that's what the letter she left me says. I never actually got to know her on a personal level." A warm tanned hand gently weaved itself into raven colored locks as L continued to speak without hesitation, the dam between his emotions and his sense of self finally broken after nearly 18 years of keeping it all in. "That is, until my three younger brothers arrived into the picture."

"Neither myself nor my grandfather even knew that I had siblings until all three of them arrived at my home about two years ago. It seems my mother had contracted the AIDs virus and could no longer take care of them over in America." Limbs gently twisted against each other as the boy's half-hearted embrace evolved into a full cuddle. "Once again, I have nothing but a letter to go on, but the boys have implied that she had looked incredibly sickly before sending them off to Japan."

"Have you tried to find her, L?" Raito allowed the bit of his sympathy he felt shine through his gaze, knowing that L would hate it if he bombarded him with "I'm sorry's" and fake pats on the back. "If not for yourself, at least for the boys?"

"I must admit, my own experience causes me to be bit apathetic to her plight, but…" L sighed against the crook of Raito's neck. "After high school, I do plan to look for her. It is actually one of the main reasons I planned to go to an American school, if truth be told. My brothers only remember a kind woman who cared for them until she could no longer. I cannot begrudge them the opportunity to see the woman that raised them, even if it is just one last time."

"I never knew you were such a good guy, L." Raito smiled against the tuft of messy hair pillowing his face. "Never would have guessed it at all…"

"Raito-kun holds so much faith in my abilities to be a well-thought out person."

"Well, you can't blame me. You are basically socially-retarded."

"And Raito-kun is flamingly homosexual, but you do not see me stating this fact off record."

"First off, yes, you just did. Second off, you're gay too, buddy, so lay off."

"Whoever said I was gay?"

"… … Who's cuddling who here?"

"Ah. I suppose Raito-kun wins this round."

"Damn right, you ass."

"Do not be so cruel to me, Raito-kun. It hurts my feelings."

"Don't you have a family to go home to?"

"Only if Raito-kun is kicking me out… and I am only leaving if he can manage to get me out of this bed."

"… Too tired. I'll just kick you in the nuts later on…"

"Touché, Raito-kun. Touché…"

And that was all the warning Raito received before a pair of lips dived in and took control of his own, leaving him completely unaware of anything around him.

'For a social recluse, he sure knows how to make-out…'

Raito left that train of thought where it belonged and just wrapped his arms around the slightly taller boy's neck as he lost himself within the kiss, closing his eyes in response. God damn anyone who bothered them now…

* * *

"I haven't seen either L-kun or Rai-chan come downstairs…" Sachiko commented off-handedly as she stitched up the small hole in Sayu's blouse for her. "Have you, sweetie?"

Soichirou blinked.

"Say what, now?"

"I've barely even heard a peep out of either them the whole afternoon…" The mother continued to mutter to herself as she quietly plucked out the needle only to weave it back into the fabric of the shirt. "How strange…"

Both adults looked at each other, panic suddenly filling their beings.

"You don't think…"

"Sachiko, no. Our son would _not_ commit murder. And neither would L."

"But… silence…"

Both parents dropped everything in their hands and quickly rushed up the stairs, not quite ready for the surprise that grace the both of them once they opened the door to their precious son's room.

Definitely not ready.

* * *

Raito and L were also not quite ready for what would greet them once the door to the brunette's room burst open, showcasing two panting adults with equally wide eyes.

Raito and L quickly pulled away from each other, eyes wide and cheeks a matching pair of magenta, in an attempt for normalcy, but the damage had already been done.

Sachiko's mouth fell open, her eyes wide as can be.

Soichirou blinked several times, looking as if he was actually contemplating banging his head against the wall in an attempt to actually see if he was dreaming or not as he then eyed the plastered wall to the side of him.

Everyone in the room stayed frozen in shock, not quite sure what to say.

And that is exactly how Sayu found them after returning from her friend Tsuki's house.

After a quick perusal of the situation at hand, Sayu came only to one conclusion.

"I told you they were totally gay for each other."

Satisfied, the girl left the gaggle of people within her brother's bedroom, wondering just how much time she had to do her homework before her favorite TV show came on at eight.

Everyone within the room shifted awkwardly within their spots, wondering how the hell a girl who watched SpongeBob marathons for hours at a time could be so damn perceptive.

Soichirou was the first one to speak.

"… Do we… even want to know?"

"… … I don't know." Raito cocked his head to the side, looking as if he had just channeled L in that one movement. "Do you?"

Soichirou glanced at Sachiko.

Sachiko glanced at L.

L glanced at Raito.

Raito simply stared at all three of them.

"Act like we never saw this happen?"

"Mooooost definitely."

Both mother and father awkwardly walked out of the room as Raito smirked behind their backs, leaving L both dazed and confused.

"Raito-kun?"

"Yes, L?"

"… … … Does this mean that we will be able to make-out at your parents house without them having heart-attacks?"

Raito sweat dropped.

"Let's just take this one step at a time, L. One… step… at a time."

* * *

_**Operation: Write Speech – Week Four**_

* * *

"You know I don't feel bad for you in the least, right?" Raito whispered as he closed his notebook and placed it underneath his Trigonometry book.

"… Raito-kun is cruel." L whispered before taking out their speech and staring down at the almost completed piece of work.

"You knew what they were like when you opened your big fat mouth." The attractive brunette chided as he took out his pen and push his chair next to the insomniac's, not caring who stared at their proximity. It seemed that they would not have to worry about hiding their relationship, at least…

"I did not expect for the word of our supposed relationship to spread so fast." L nibbled on his thumb as he contemplated just why his boyfriend of all people seemed to have the most obsessive of fans. "Raito-kun's fan girls are insane."

"Well your fan girls aren't such a walk in the park, either!" Raito continued to write, even as the panda-eyed boy blinked in wonderment.

"I have fan girls?"

Raito snorted.

"Yes. And their creepier than mine."

"Why are females so demented, Raito-kun?"

"You're asking the wrong person, L…"

"RAI-KUN!!"

The pencil within L's hand snapped at the sudden screech reverberating within the library.

"Can we not escape their clutches, Raito-kun…"

"I'm afraid not, L. I'm afraid not." Raito decided to take pity on the poor boy and spun around, only to be met with the watery gaze of Amane Misa. "I'll take care of this."

L gave his boy toy (as he liked to refer to Raito within the sanctity of his thoughts, of course) a small shaky smile before pulling his back pack out from beneath the bottom of the table and pulling out a pen this time, hoping that maybe that would prevent him from breaking anymore precious writing utensils.

Raito shook his head as he walked over to the nearly hysterical blonde, giving her his best sympathetic smile as he nodded his head to signify that he wished for her to follow. Misa sniffled as she trailed after him like a lost puppy, not noticing the heated glare sent her direction via L.

"Rai-kun, tell Misa-Misa it isn't true!" Misa sobbed as she bounced within the same spot. "Everyone's saying that you and L are… are…"

"Dating?" Raito supplied for her.

"YESSSSSSSSS!!" The girl wailed before blowing her nose with her black hankie. "Misa-Misa can understand Raito dating other girls, but L?! Rai-kun hates L!"

"Well, Amane, it's complicated…"

"Complicated? Complicated?!" Misa stomped her foot against the carpeting of the library floor. "What about L is so great to Rai-kun? The sloppy hobo look! I bet he's a pervert, isn't he?! Or a stalker! Or… or… a pervert stalker!"

Raito sweat dropped.

"Amane, please… just listen to me." Misa sniffled before hesitantly nodding her head to show that she was giving him a chance to speak. "I know that L and I have not always got along, but we've managed to find something here that I can find myself wanting to keep. This isn't some run of the mill high school romance. I really like him. And he really likes me. I know it's a stretch, but L makes me _happy_."

Misa lowered her head, hating the way Raito's eyes seemed to glow as he continued to speak of the pale boy still watching them out of the corner of his wide obsidian eyes, yet not being able to really deny that what Raito felt was true.

"He brings out the best and the worst in me, and I know a lot of people won't understand…" Raito stood a bit straighter, not blind to the glances still being thrown his way. "But I'm willing to be with him despite all of that. Please, I know this is hard for you, but don't do this. Not when I already have so many other people who I know will no doubt hate me for what I'm doing with L."

The gothic blonde sighed as she turned her head and looked over at L. Surprised at the worried stare sent their way, Misa turned back to the boy in front of her. The warm glow in his eyes seemed to brighten ever so slightly, flushed cheeks accompanying the combination as a small smile spread over the boy's lips.

"Misa-Misa understands…" The usually perky girl stated somberly, still sore at the thought of losing to _L _of all people. "And Misa-Misa wants Rai-kun to know that I will stand up to anyone who talks down about Rai-kun's relationship with his zombie boyfriend!"

"Err…"

"Misa-Misa shall become president of the newly formed LxRaito fan club and crush anyone who dares oppose it!" The girl's excitement seemed to radiate in waves as her perkiness built up once more, leaving the crushed persona behind her. "Everyone shall be supportive! Misa-Misa will make sure of it! If only for Raito-kun's dainty dignity, Misa-Misa will protect both his reputation and his booty-shaking with his perverted freak of a lover, even if it costs Misa her life!"

Raito sweat dropped.

"That's really not necessary-"

"Now, Misa-Misa is off to go make pretty Rai-kun and L-kun posters of them kissing! Yay for shounen-ai!" Misa finally skipped off, leaving a very red-faced Raito and a slightly confused L, who had only heard Misa sounding excited about something to do with shounen-ai.

Everyone in the library stared at the boy left standing where Misa once stood.

"Uh… Yay for shounen-ai?"

L sighed as the pen within his grip snapped in half, leaving ink splattered over his hands.

Figures.

* * *

_**Operation: Write Speech – Week Four**_

* * *

_**Well, we finally finished. **_

_**Yay. **_

_**This week has had to be the craziest week of them all. Between heart breaking confessions, hooking up with L (Yes, I said it! Hooking. Up. With. L!), being caught in a compromising position by my family, having fan girls suddenly stalk us and try to coax us into making out in front of them, consoling a frantic Misa (Who has turned into a crazy Yaoi fan girl, by the way), and being fed disgustingly sugary things, we finally finished the stupid speech. **_

_**Yippee. **_

_**But in between all the speech making and shounen-ai chaos, the fact is… **_

_**I'm afraid. **_

_**Not of having a relationship with L. I don't think that's even possible. He's everything to me, and quite frankly, he always has been, even before all this craziness began. What scares me is that after graduation, this is where it ends. **_

_**He's going to America. Not just for college, but to look for some woman who abandoned him. How can I contend with that? This is all for his siblings, and I won't get in the way of that. **_

_**But it doesn't mean I don't want to.**_

_**Maybe I'm being selfish for thinking this way; for wanting him all to myself. But I just can't stop thinking that if I let him go… If I just step aside and let him walk out of my life…**_

_**I'll never see him again. **_

_**And that is what scares me the most. **_

_**How can I lose him now when I just got him? How can I just let go when I've finally gotten a taste of something so close to what happiness could be? **_

_**I don't want to. **_

_**But I'll have to. **_

_**Even if it kills me… I'll have to let him go.**_

* * *

Raito sighed as he held his head between his hands, not wanting to look at the calendar hanging against his wall.

'Even if you won't always want me…'

"I'm yours to keep, L."

* * *

"Raito-kun looks upset."

Raito turned away from the boy sitting next to him as he continued to watch other people around them get ready for the beginning of their graduation rehearsal.

"Raito-kun… I know something has been bothering you these last set of days. Will you tell me what is wrong so that I may stop worrying?"

"Can we not talk about this now?" Raito snapped, still not facing his boyfriend.

"Of course." The raven-haired insomniac slouched even further within his seat, not sure why he was so hurt by the sharp cut of words that were most likely not even meant as an insult. "I simply wished to see what was bothering Raito-kun, but if he wishes to speak of it later on, then I am more than happy to oblige."

Raito's eyes glistened as everyone around them chattered happily about what they were going to do once high school was over and done with.

Dreams were passed along with such a vigor to one another that it made the 17-year-old's heart ache all the more, wondering just how he was going to make it through their graduation night with nothing but tears in his eyes and a goodbye set on his lips.

L kept his gaze on the back of his Raito's head, wondering just what it was that was wrong. Everything was perfect, wasn't it? After years of silent pining, he finally had the boy right where he wanted him. But Raito was a complex person, with years of intelligence ahead of most adults, let alone teenagers.

After a silent promise to himself, L shifted forward, intent on releasing his lover from whatever problem plagued him by the end of the night.

* * *

"Where are we going, L?"

"Somewhere familiar to Raito-kun."

"Familiar, familiar…" Raito repeated to himself before blinking once again, the recognizable dirt path leading to the groove he had come to love the last time L had lead him. "Why is it this place gets all the more beautiful every time we come here?"

"Perhaps it is simply magic, Raito-kun." L smirked as a tanned lithe hand clasped over his own, the starry gaze within his boyfriend's eyes taking his breath away. "Or perhaps it is Raito-kun's presence that gives the scenery the extra sparkle."

"Because that doesn't sound sarcastic at all. Stop trying to find ways to allude to my supposed flaming-ness." Raito rolled his eyes before tugging on the other's hand and pulling him towards 'his' beloved pond. "Thinking about it, you've never told me how you ever found this place, have you?"

"I didn't." L plopped down on the dirty ground before practically pulling Raito on his lap along with him. "My father did, once upon a time. From what my grandfather told me, this is where he proposed to my mother all those years ago."

Raito blushed at the implication, burying his face against the smooth pale skin of L's neck. "You're not going to propose to me, are you?"

"Not unless Raito-kun wants me to."

"Stop being an ass."

"Of course, Raito-kun." L smirked as Raito's heated cheeks practically illuminated within the dark night shielding the small groove. "Will Raito-kun finally tell me what has been bothering him these last few days, now?"

"I…" Raito practically stuttered, wanting nothing more than to go back to the ever-loving silence and enjoy L while he still had him within his arms. "It's nothing, L."

"Please, Raito." The boy stiffened at the sound of his name leaving L's lips, almost caressing his ears in the gentle ease L had whispered it. "I cannot stand seeing you like this."

"Well, there's nothing you can do about it, so we might as well just drop it." The brunette attempted to pull himself out of the other's embrace, yet was yielded by the burst of strength erupting from the insomniac's arms as he tightened his hold over Raito's slim figure. "I don't want to talk about this, L!"

"I do not care if you do not wish to speak of whatever it is that is bothering you!" L burst out as Raito's attempts at fleeing only increased at the sudden raise of volume in L's voice. "I will not let you destroy what's between us when there's so little time left-"

"And don't you think that's the problem?!" Raito finally cocked his head up, surprising the disheveled boy still holding him with the slight sheen of moisture clinging to his eyes. "You're leaving in less than a week, and you don't think I'm not allowed to be a bit upset about that?! I don't even know how long it is you're going to be gone, let alone if…"

"Raito…" L appeared to be as speechless as Raito imagined he would be at the sudden confession.

"I'm not an idiot." The struggling finally ceased as Raito leaned back into the other's embrace. "I know you have to go, and I know I can't follow. So where does that leave us, L? Back to the beginning where we force-fed ourselves stupid lies and disregarded the truth altogether? I can't do that again. I can't…"

The gentle summer breeze flowed through them as Raito continued to cling onto the man who had helped him see past his own façade, along with the string of lies that had poisoned him from the inside out. The man with whom he had grown up and both hated and loved, although that last sentiment would probably be buried deep within him along with the memories he wanted to cherish for as long as possible.

Raito knew that his time had been wasted.

But for once…

He couldn't find it within himself to actually care.

* * *

"It's almost time, you guys! What the hell are you two doing in there, anyways?!"

Raito vacantly concentrated on his reflection as he combed back his auburn-colored locks. He grabbed his cap and pushed it on top of his head, quite sure that this was the worst night of his life.

L stared at the boy as he toyed with his tassel, sadly peering over at the teen with large ebony eyes.

"Raito?! L?! C'mon, you guys! We've got a graduation to get rolling!"

"Raito-kun…"

"Yes, L?"

"I'm sorry."

'I know.'

"There's nothing to be sorry about. Now let's go get graduated, huh?" As the brunette turned to walk out the door, a pale hand grasped his wrist, preventing such escape.

"L, we have to go." Raito whispered.

Both boys stared at each other willing for this one moment to last for far longer than it could.

After another loud knock on the door, both teens blinked, once again brought back to reality.

"Yes," L agreed before letting go of Raito's hand. "We do."

And with that, both boys went to go face the next step of their lives…

Together.

* * *

"And in honor of our two most prestigious students, we call upon our co-valedictorians to come to our podium and grace the class of 2008 with a speech they both made on our behalf." Principal Sato grinned before nodding for the two boys to come to the podium. Raito took a deep breath, ready to give the speech of his life, when-

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen…"

L beat him to it.

Raito stared at the boy, wondering just what the hell he thought he was doing as the paper that was _supposed _to be their speech fell from his hands.

"I have never been a social person, as many of you know…" The rumble of laughter at the remark did not even affect L in the slightest as he continued to speak. "But I have made a discovery in the last few weeks that I believe overshadow all else that could be spoken about, and reflect just what I believe high school is really all about. Something that transcends past, present and future relationships and really shapes who we are and just who we can become."

"Not all of us know what it's like to genuinely gain something whilst in high school and hold on to it all of their lives. We may be able to hold onto a few lessons here and there, but things learned in the classroom? Friends who you believed will be there for you forever?" L stared at the masses of students and families staring at him, barely flinching under the pressure of their gazes. "None of us can say that anything gained in high school is 'forever.' The word 'forever' is rudimentary; an aspect we cling to so that we have something to look forward to tomorrow and gaze fondly back at yesterday. Nothing is _forever_, no matter how much we wish it so. No matter how much… we would give to hold onto that one word and never let go."

L's gaze slowly slid from the people still watching him intently to the boy barely three feet away from him, eyes wide at the words coming out of his lips.

"As much as I hate to admit it, and as I have learned within these span of weeks, even emotions do not last forever. But I like to think that whatever we do manage to keep from high school is as scarring as it is beautiful. A mixture of fond teenage angst along with the staple of just who we might turn out to be. People change. Lives change. But what we make of the time we have… that doesn't. Regret is a powerful thing sometimes… just like hope is tricky in all its complexity." Raito blinked as he stood amazed at the boy turned man speaking directly to him on the stage they now stood.

"What we know now is unessential. We will forget about the person standing next to us as easily as we have forgotten what we had for breakfast just this morning. But in reality, even though we may forget, even though we may lament, even though we may cherish, whatever we chose to do in the future is our _choice_, and I cannot say that is entirely unappealing." L drew in a shaky breath as he smiled at Raito, internally memorizing the beautiful watery gaze keeping him in their range, eyelashes stubbornly clinging with tears. "I choose to both remember and forget… I choose to walk down this aisle and do what I wish for my future. I choose to love who I love and hate who I hate. High school has simply become another stepping stone for us all, and I wish to do nothing more than to implore on you all to remember that there is so much more, even when you begin to forget."

Tears poured down his face unnoticed as L openly smiled for all to see, caught up in the gorgeous glow emanating from his boyfriend's face, speech crumpled up on the ground as it lay forgotten. "All we can do is hope that tomorrow brings us the fortune we desire, and not regret what yesterday has had to offer. And most of all, look at today, and see ourselves as we are. As we could be. As we were. And realize… that no matter happens in the future, no one can take that away from us. Thank you."

The sudden applause was barely heard as L jumped off the podium and ran to his enemy-turned-ally-turned-boyfriend, and kissed him on the cheek, smile still stretched across his face. "And I meant every word."

Raito laughed as he grabbed onto the unconventional 17-year-old and kissed him in front of the entire class of 2008 along with their families. He ignored the sudden barrage of both cat calls and irked boo's, knowing that he probably shouldn't, but needed to say those three words at least once before all the magic from the moment was gone and he was left with nothing but an empty embrace.

"I love you."

The smile on L's face widened in response.

"I love you, too… even when I probably shouldn't."

"Hey!"

"Sorry, Raito… Would a kiss make it better?"

Raito grinned as he turned red, catching sight of their principal practically shoo-ing them off stage as he shook his head in embarrassment.

"Maybe later?"

L grinned before draggin his boyfriend off the stage and back into the seated gaggle of teens now staring at them. The principal stuttered before starting his own speech, gettin gready to start calling out names as L kept his grip on raito's hand.

"Most definitely later…"

* * *

"So you promise?"

"I promise, Raito-kun."

"… ... I'm holding you to your word, you know."

Raito and L stood in front of the bus stop, waiting for the vehicle still in transit.

"Right in this spot, Raito-kun?"

"It's only fair. Plus, it's more romantic that way." Raito replied as the boy shifted his book bag over his shoulder. "I'm guessing no letters, no phone calls, no visits…"

"Then you would be guessing correctly, Raito-kun. I doubt I'd be able to afford such a thing as long distance phone calls if I shall be making it on my own." L stated as he glanced at Raito forlornly. "I shall miss Raito-kun a great deal."

"Don't forget your promise, Lawliet." Raito warned as he saw the bus coming down the street. "I expect to see you here eventually."

L grinned before grabbing the seventeen-year-old and pulling him into a small chaste kiss, reveling in the tiny bit of contact before he was deprived of it completely.

"I promise, Raito." Was the final whisper Raito heard before the bus came to a complete stop and opened its doors. "I promise."

Raito watched the vehicle pull back its doors before driving off, leaving the brunette with nothing but a decrepit bench, a raggedy street sign and a very lonely promise.

"So do I."

* * *

_**Operation: Write Speech - Complete**_

* * *

_**So… he's gone. **_

_**Don't know when I'll see him again, really. **_

_**Don't even know if I ever will see him, period. **_

_**We made a promise to each other to meet up again someday, but it doesn't do much for the obnoxious amount of doubt I feel right now. Is that sad? I know it probably is. I don't really care either way.**_

_**I wonder if this is what love is supposed to be. To want to be with a person constantly and never let them out of your sight, and when they aren't next to you, feel as if your soul was just ripped out of your chest and stomped upon by a steel-toe boot. **_

… … _**Yeah, I don't know, either. **_

_**L was such a staple in my life that I honestly don't even know how to react right now. It's the first night without him, and I just feel so numb inside. Will I always feel like this? I don't know…**_

_**I just don't know. **_

_**And it kills me inside that I might never actually find out.**_

* * *

Twenty one-year-old Yagami Raito sighed as he glanced down at his watch, wondering if it was even worth it at this point. Throwing the old notebook back inside his satchel, the weary brunette wondered if it was even worth it to wait at this point.

"Raito!"

Raito barely moved as he turned to the side, not surprised to see Mihael waving at him from the driver's side of the car coming up to park right on the side of the road beside the old decaying bench Raito sat on.

'I can't keep on doing this to myself…' Raito thought to himself as he glanced over at the boys waiting for him, eagerly watching for some kind of new development that Raito felt would probably never come. 'And I can't keep doing this to these kids.'

"Look! There's a bus!" Mihael cried out, pointing frantically towards the vehicle driving towards them.

Raito internally rolled his eyes, head still leaned back against the crumbling wood.

As the bus finally rolled to a stop, the sound of doors opening alerted Raito of a deviance in the natural routine this day seemingly always took. Wanting to open his eyes, but just not wanting to feel the everlasting disappointment that seemed to hang over the adult's head every time he got his hopes just high enough to be knocked down, Raito waited until the door finally closed and an known figure stepped off the bus's final stair.

Silence was all the brunette heard for a good two minutes before the sound of someone shuffling towards him made the usually single-minded man open his eyes.

"Hello, Raito-kun."

For a good minute, all Raito could do was stare as the man before him smiled.

"Lawliet…" The 21-year-old knock out finally whispered, not even deigning to look in the children's direction who still sat waiting in the car. "You came back."

L smiled before throwing his bags onto the ground, his slightly broader and taller physique barely taking away from the faux-childish innocence gleaming within his eyes.

"I promised, didn't I?"

Raito grinned as the sounds of the other children running out of the car and getting ready to bum-rush the two older men staring at each other assuaged his ears, truly seeing nothing but the childish dark-haired man in front of him.

"_People change. Lives change. But what we make of the time we have… that doesn't. Regret is a powerful thing sometimes… just like hope is tricky in all its complexity."_

Yes, hope was a tricky thing.

L dug his hands within Raito's glossy cinnamon brown locks as he ignored the teenagers running towards them and crashed his lips onto Raito's own pair, barely allowing the man a chance to breathe as he hungrily devoured every square inch of the brunette he could.

But as long as it kept his Lawliet by his side, Raito couldn't much say he cared.

* * *

_**So in the end, I got what I always wanted. **_

_**A companion to share my accomplishments, who could both challenge me and believe in me, without seeming like an overabundant idiot with stupid tendencies, and the love of my life, all in one neat little bundle.**_

_**Well… not little. But honestly, it's not like I'll ever let him know that. Man has a big enough head on his shoulders, no need to add to THAT ego… **_

_**Four years flew by without me even realizing it; only the hole of his constant presence truly felt as I carried on as if I didn't care, when all along, I cared more than I wanted to admit. **_

_**Maybe some day, I'll be able to tell him all those things I've thought about for all these years and just how both he and his impromptu speech affected me on that fateful graduation day. **_

_**Maybe some day, I'll be able to take his hand and finally admit that yes, I did need him by my side to function, and quite frankly, if he leaves me at this point, I won't be able to go on. **_

_**Maybe some day I'll be able to confide in him just how much I truly love him, and hopefully, he'll be able to confide in me just what happened in those four years he wasn't by my side in return…**_

* * *

"Raito-kun?" L blearily blinked as he sat up beside the thin brunette who was writing inside a ragged black journal, eyes intensely focused on the page in front of him.

"Huh?" Raito yawned as he pushed his reading glasses up against the bridge of his nose, cinnamon brown eyes wide with curiosity.

"What are you doing?"

Raito smiled before shrugging off the question in his no nonsense way of his.

"Nothing."

"Well, turn off the light. I wish to sleep." L complained before lying down within the warm confines of the full bed once more, obviously waiting for the younger of the two to come join beside him.

"The great insomniac L wishes to sleep?" Raito smirked before gently putting the journal wide-open on top of the lamp table, the covers slipping off his bare torso. "The world must be coming to an end as we know it."

"Raito… just shut up and get back inside these covers so that I may molest you in peace." L deadpanned as he gave Raito a blank stare.

Raito hid the smile covering the lower half of his face with a simple tilt of his head as he turned back to his journal.

* * *

_**Maybe some day, but I doubt it'll be some day any time soon by the looks of it. **_

* * *

Turning off the light, Raito yelped as a pair of cold arms grabbed him and pulled him back into the warm inviting bed beneath him.

'Couldn't say I didn't see that one coming…'

Raito sighed as L pulled him in close, the other's breathing evening out almost as soon as the raven-haired man's head hit the pillow.

Eyes closing in response, Raito grinned as he slipped off into the land of dreams, glad that after four years of solitude, he finally found the solace he had been looking for practically all of his life.

It had been difficult, but that was alright.

Simple was for boring people.

And for L and Raito, simple just didn't exist in their vocabulary.

* * *

"_Tonight will be the night that I will fall for you_

_Over again…_

_Don't make me change my mind_

_Or I won't live to see another day-_

_I swear it's true._

_Because a girl like you is impossible to find…_

_You're impossible to find."_

_**-"Fall For You" By Secondhand Serenade**_

* * *

_**Fin**_


End file.
